In Italian, all consonants except h can be doubled. Double consonants (i consonanti doppie) are pronounced much more forcefully than single consonants. With double f, l, m, n, r, s, and v, the sound is prolonged; with double b, c, d, g, p, and t, the stop is stronger than for the single consonant. Double z is pronounced almost the same as single z. Double s is always unvoiced.
Double consonant examples:
Italian English babbodadfettasliceevvivahurrahbisteccabeefsteakmammamamaalbicoccaapricotbellobeautifulfilettofiletannoyearassaia lotbassoshortragazzoboyferroironpennellopaint brushespressoespresso coffeetavolozzapalettespaghettispaghetticavallettoeasel
Most Italian words end in a vowel.
Diphthongs (i dittonghi) are two vowels fused to emit a single sound. A diphthong is formed when an unstressed i or u combines with another vowel (a, e, o) or when the two vowels combine with each other, in which case either the i or u may remain unstressed. In diphthongs, unstressed i and u become semivowels approximating in sound the English consonants y and w, respectively.
Diphthong examples:
Italian English ieriyesterdaybuonogoodfioreflowerchiusoclosedinvidiaenvypiùmore
Tripthongs also exist. These are sequences of three vowels with a single sound, usually a diphthong followed by an unstressed i.
Italian English tuoiyoursmieiminebuoioxenpigliaiI took
Italian has numerous words that contain sequences of vowels. The following words are not triphthongs (which are infrequent), but sequences of a vowel and a diphthong.
Italian English noiaboredomfebbraioFebruarybaiabayfioraioflorist
Each of the words below has a sequence of two diphthongs:
Italian English ghiaiagravelmuoioI dieacquaiosinkgioiellojewel
